(1)
It was dark and cold. So, so cold. The floor felt like it was made of ice. Kell tried moving but she felt sluggish, as if she were bound by something. Kell struggled against it, desperate to free herself. She lurched around in the dark until she found a wall. It was made of bricks slicked by a layer of frost. She was back in the cell.
She was back in Uhlara, locked in the prison suspended on the side of a mountain. Kell pounded on the wall. She needed to escape. She needed to get out of here before they came back. She smacked her first against the wall but it didn't do any good. She tried again with both her fists but yelled in surprise. Her left hand was missing.
Some part of her said that was normal, that she should be used to it, but it didn't connect with the rest of her mind. Her hand was missing, leaving just a bloody stump behind. Kell felt a sob bubbling out of her throat.
"Let me out!" she screamed.
She pounded against the wall again. Her etchings had all been cut, rendering them useless. She was small and helpless, once more trapped in a dark cellar filled to the brim with filth and despair.
"Let me out!" she cried again.
From off in the distance she heard someone call her name. The voice sounded familiar but it was too far away. Kell banged on the wall again. She struggled to breathe. The cell was suffocating her.
In desperation, Kell reached for her etching, flooding them with power. It didn't matter if they were cut or broken, she'd take whatever they had to offer.
Rearing back, Kell slammed her good fist into the wall using every ounce of strength she had. There was an explosion as the wall shattered, her fist tearing through it. Cool air rushed in, washing over Kell's body.
"Kell! Kell stop."
Karyn was clinging to Kell's waist, trying to pull her back from the wall.
Kell took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of the cool summer air and the city outside. Another breath brought back the scent of clean linen, steel polish, and incense. The scents of her room. She was home. And she'd just punched a hole in her bedroom wall.
"Kell?"
Kell looked back at Karyn who was still clinging to her. Her face was a mask of fear and concern.
"I'm..." Kell foundered, unsure of what to say. "I'm here."
"Gods Kell, it was just a nightmare."
"Sorry, I know, it was nothing."
"It wasn't nothing, you could have killed someone. You could have killed me!"
"Look, I didn't mean to! It's these damn nightmares, I can't control them."
"Kell..."
"Don't look at me like that. I told you I didn't want to sleep inside, especially not in the dark."
"You can't spend the rest of your life camping outside. We need to work through this."
"I can't!"
"So what are we supposed to do?"
"You don't have to do anything. This isn't your fucking problem. I'm the one that has to deal with this bullshit."
"You don't have to deal with it alone."
"Then please tell me, oh great and powerful priestess, how am I supposed to just forget the number of times I've been brutally tortured in a dark and filthy cellar?"
Karyn winced. She let go of Kell and stepped back, hugging herself.
"That's the first time you've acknowledged that outloud," Karyn said softly.
"Maybe because it's a miserable thing to say out loud. Ain't nothing to be done about it, so just drop it already."
"Kell, I'm worried about you."
"And that's your problem, now isn't it?"
"Kell!"
Nul stood in the doorway, glaring at her.
"Eavesdropping on us now?" Kell asked.
"I don't have to. You're yelling so loud half the city can hear you."
"So let them fucking hear, see if I care. If they have a problem with it, they can bring it to me directly. Besides, who even cares? Who cares that I was tortured and maimed on the other side of the continent."
"Kell," Nul began calmly, "I know that you're upset about what happened in Uhlara-"
"Oh I am beyond upset. We go on an adventure to find me a blade and do everything but. Roran gets to adopt a new kid to project his guilt onto, Sarah got better at pretending to be human, you turned into a fucking demi-god, and even Karyn became an esteemed whore priestess." Kell held up her stump. "All while I became less."
"Kell, stop."
"Oh, is that not exactly what happened? Am I being unreasonable?"
"No, you're being a bitch to the one person who's actually willing to put up with your bullshit."
Kell turned and saw Karyn sitting on the bed, hugging herself. She wouldn't meet Kell's eye, but she saw tears shimmering at the edges.
Kell groaned, pissed off at the situation and pissed off at herself.
She threw on a shirt and pants, then kicked on her boots before grabbing her cloak. She grabbed a spear and shoved past Nul on her way out of the room.
"I can't breathe, this place is too suffocating."
Kell left the room and trotted down the stairs and out onto the street. Outside a clerk and a city guard were coming towards the apartment building.
"Everything alright?" asked the guard.
"Fucking fine."
Kell strolled past them.
She felt like an idiot. Both for breaking a wall and for yelling at Karyn. Karyn didn't deserve that kind of behavior. She rubbed her wrist against her side, feeling the steel bangle press into her skin. It normally weighed nothing at all, but tonight it felt heavy.
"Gods I'm stupid," Kell said softly.
She'd been surprised at how easily the wall had shattered under fist. Nul's etchings had always given her inhuman strength, but that was before Nul had acquired Akanos. Now Nul's etchings were in a new league. They had constantly updated and refined the designs on both Roran and Kell, finetuning them over and over again. Kell had never been more powerful or more dangerous. And now she was a danger to the one person that loved her the most.
"I need a drink," she mumbled to herself and headed off in search of a tavern.
(2)
Finding one of her old haunts, Kell shouldered the door open and sauntered inside. The crowd looked rough but jovial, comprised mostly of weathered Champions. She walked to the bar and thumped her spear on the ground.
"Oi," she called, getting the bartender's attention. "Get me something strong."
The bartender nodded and came over with a bottle and a glass.
"Just a glass?" he asked.
"Leave the bottle," Kell said and dumped a handful of coin on the counter.
The bartender nodded again, poured her a glass, then collected the coin and left. Kell grabbed the bottle and added a few more fingers before she was satisfied. Taking a sip, Kell tried to contemplate where her life had gone wrong. There were so many options that it was hard to choose.
"By the gods, it looks like the fair weather is finally gone."
Kell lifted her head, at the familiar voice. She found a tall man with a bushy beard and a shaved head smiling down at her.
"Alec," she said, "Been a minute since I've seen your ugly mug."
"Been over a year, I missed drinking on your coin. I heard you went out with the military, got tied up in the conquest over at Uhlara."
"You heard right," said Kell, taking another drink. Her missing hand ached.
"That ended a couple seasons ago, what have you been up to since?"
"Traveling, mostly. Got married, I think." Kell held up the steel bangle.
"You think? Woman, you are one of the craziest people I've met. Speaking of, why are you wearing a cloak, it's too damn hot for such things."
Kell shrugged. She'd started wearing a cloak as a way to hide her stump. Nul and Karyn had cobbled together a glove for her that strapped to her arm, so that she looked normal, but it had looked painfully fake in Kell's eyes. Hiding it was easier.
"Drink with me," Kell said, and flagged down the bartender for another glass. "What's been going on since I left?"
Alec laughed. "Still think of me as one of your whores? Don't look down on me, I'm a Champion now."
"I think of you as a friend. Besides, nothing wrong with being a whore. So, tell me, what's been going on since I left?"
"Aside from the usual, nothing too much. There are a couple of new Champions terrorizing the Crucible. It took a while to replace the old ones after your boy killed them all."
"Roran was doing the world a favor."
"Don't forget, you used to fight there too. Either way, new bullies have appeared to keep the crowd entertained. Let's see...the new regents from Uhlara have been making a stir. One in particular has been keeping our delegates on their toes."
"Let me guess, Darlinea Cataegis?"
"How'd you know?"
Kell shrugged. "Word gets around. Any big news from the King's Arena?"
"Well, Konek and Lasalla died trying to fight Destra. Though I suppose that's not much of a surprise. You aren't still planning on doing that, are you? I'd miss the free drinks if you died."
"That's still the plan, though it might take a while." Kell sighed. "A good long while. I'm not quite as good as I was a year ago."
"A year on the road make you soft?"
"Something like that."
"Are those new etchings I see?" Alec asked.
"Aye, Nul has been improving. Roran and I have been their sketch pad for the last year."
"You say you've gone soft, but it sounds like you're stronger than ever."
Kell grunted. "Maybe in some ways, but not all."
"Oh by the gods!" A new voice screeched across the room. "Did the little child actually come back?"
Kell shuddered. There was only one voice in the world that was that annoying. Kell drained her glass before turning to face Timara.
The Chain Devil hadn't changed much in the last year. She was still tall and curvy, her fiery red hair falling just past her shoulders. She still wore chains around her waist like a corset and along her arms and shoulders like a shawl. The only thing different was that she looked less angry and more dismissive than before, as though Kell wasn't worth getting angry over.
Timara sauntered over, one hand on her hip and the other holding a wine glass.
"And here I'd thought you'd run away for good."
"And here I was hoping you'd finally gone and died," said Kell. She poured herself another glass of spirits. "Go away, I'm in no mood for your games."
"I thought children loved to play games?"
Kell resisted the urge to smash her glass in Timara's face and took a long, slow sip.
"Where's your new pet? Or did he up and die like all the others?"
"Do you have nothing better to do than annoy me?"
"I just wanted to catch up with an old friend."
"Timara, you and I have never been friends."
"You were pretty friendly that night with Barron."
"That's because you weren't talking. Your mouth was too busy elsewhere."
Timara's expression flipped to a scowl. She reached out to grab Kell. Kell ducked away but Timara managed to grab her cloak. She wrenched it off Kell and tossed it to the floor.
Kell snarled and swiped at Timara, pushing her back.
"Dammit woman, piss off and leave me to drink."
"Don't insult me if you're not ready to fight."
"You started it!"
Timara swung at Kell. Kell leaned back on her stool, narrowly avoiding the blow. Bracing herself against the counter, she planted her foot in Timara's stomach and shoved her back. Timara stumbled into a table and nearly fell over, her drunkenness starting to show through.
"Oh gods Kell..."
Alec was looking in horror at her stump.
Swearing, Kell pulled her arm against her body, trying to hide it. Despite her efforts, Timara saw and her face lit up with delight.
"What happened to you? Finally stick your hand in the wrong person?"
"I said piss off."
"Or what? You could barely fight me before, do you actually think you can win now, eh Stumpy?"
Kell hurled her glass at Timara. She ducked out of the way. Even drunk, Timara's reflexes were that of a Champion.
"Don't like Stumpy? We could call you Lefty, or maybe Handy."
Kell ground her teeth together, trying to hold back her anger.
"Aww, does someone not like their new nicknames? Are you gonna cry like a child? You certainly look like one."
"Uh, Timara," said Alec. "Maybe let it go?"
"Come on, doesn't she look like a poor maimed orphan? One hand, ragged clothes, and no parents to love her. She-"
Kell slipped out of her seat and covered the distance to Timara in a flash. Strength flooded her body and she planted her fist in Timara's stomach. The blow lifted Timara off her feet and sent her flying into the wall, cracking it on impact.
"Fine bitch. You want to fight, then let's fight."
(3)
The tavern fell silent as Timara fell from the wall to the floor. People scooted back and away, trying to get some distance between themselves and the potential combatants.
"Outside!" snapped the bartender. His tone was as weary as it was angry. Catering to Champions came with the constant risk of bar fights. "No fighting happens in here, take it outside!"
Kell grunted and collected her spear while Timara pulled herself off the floor, the chains around her arms and shoulders slowly coming loose. Kell adjusted her grip on the spear and chains slid down in Timara's hands. They stared at each other, both of them waiting to see who would make the first move.
"Outside!" the bartender snapped again. "Don't make me ban you two!"
Kell begrudgingly headed for the door, keeping her eyes on Timara the entire time. Timara followed slowly. Just as Kell reached the door, Timara snapped her wrist forward, flicking one of the chains into Kell and slamming her through the doorway.
Kell snarled as she hit the ground and rolled, coming up ready to fight. Timara exploded out of the tavern, her chains flying wild. Kell snapped her spear up to meet them. She deflected the first couple of blows and leaped in for a counterstrike. She swung her spear hard into Timara's side, hitting her with the haft of it.
The strength of the blow sent Timara crashing into another building. Kell paused, waiting to see if she got back up.
Timara groaned but climbed back to her feet. The chains around her waist were starting to come loose and dangle around her legs.
"You had enough?" Kell asked.
In response, Timara whipped one of her chains at Kell. Kell ducked out of the way and scampered backwards, getting out of reach of the chains.
"Don't run away," Timara called. "We're just getting started."
Timara began snapping her chains at Kell, throwing volley after volley of blows. Kell dodged and defended, keeping the chains from touching her.
Timara laughed and pressed her advantage. "Come on Stumpy. You used to be faster than that. Did losing a hand slow you down?"
Kell swore and pushed forward. She broke through the volley of attacks and lunged at Timara. This time, Kell planted the butt of her spear directly in Timara's stomach. Timara doubled over coughing. Kell bashed Timara over the head with her elbow, knocking her to the ground.
Stepping back, Kell asked, "Had enough?"
Timara didn't respond this time. She pushed herself to her hands and knees and flexed a hand, adjusting the chain around her wrist. Flicking her wrist, Timara sent the chain snaking across the ground to wind around Kell's ankle. She wrenched on the chain, pulling Kell off her feet and sending her tumbling to the ground.
Climbing to her feet, Timara gripped the chain with both hands and pulled, flinging Kell off the ground to crash into a nearby building. Brick and stone cracked as Kell made impact. Timara lashed out with her other chain, swinging it at Kell in a vicious strike. Kell rolled out of the way just as the chain shattered the brick and stone around her.
Grabbing a loose chunk of brick, Kell hurled it at Timara. Timara ducked and the brick sailed into another building where it exploded into dust. Kell threw two more chunks of debris before Timara snapped her whip at her again. Kell dodged and more chunks of the surrounding buildings exploded into dust and debris.
Snarling, Kell hurled her spear at Timara. The spear caught her in the abdomen, shattering chains and leaving a long cut on Timara's side. Despite the injury, Timara struck back, snapping one of her chains across Kell's chest and flinging her back into a pile of debris.
Coughing and dazed, Kell pulled herself back to her feet. There was a dull ache across her chest but she was otherwise unharmed.
"Are you kidding me?" Timara said, a look of disbelief on her face. "Just how strong are your protection etchings?"
Kell spit out a mouthful of mortar and said, "Stronger than you'll ever have. I didn't even feel that one."
"Fine, I'll just keep going until you break."
Timara reared back and hurled another attack at Kell. Kell shielded herself with her arm but the strength of the blow still toppled her over. Timara attacked again, this time snapping the chain across her back. The blow was jarring but her protection held.
Timara was preparing for another attack when a voice rang out through the street.
"Enough!"
A heavy presence settled over Kell. The night seemed darker and the shadows deeper. Timara let out a pitiful gasp and the chains went limp in her hands. Looking up, Kell saw Roran standing at the end of the street.
"This fight is over," Roran said.
Kell grunted and started getting to her feet. "She started it. Now I'm finishing it." Kell went for her spear.
Sarah appeared before Kell, her arms crossed and her expression grim. "It's over, let this go."
Another Sarah was standing behind Timara, her hand disappearing into Timara's neck.
"Don't get in my way," said Kell. "This is personal."
Sarah extended a hand and reached into Kell. Her hand passed through Kell's flesh, into her chest, and an icy cold hand gripped Kell's spine from inside her body.
"It's over," Sarah said again, colder this time. "We already have enough to worry about without this petty feud going on between you two."
Roran came over and put his hand on Kell's shoulder. "We can deal with Timara later. Come on, let's go home."
Kell grunted and gave a small nod. Finally, Sarah released Kell's spine and they both let out a sigh of relief.
Roran walked over to Timara and pulled out a shiny golden medallion. He held it up in front of Timara.
"You know what this is?"
Timara grimaced and nodded.
"Then you know what it means?"
Again, Timara nodded, her teeth clenched too tightly to make a sound.
"Good. Leave me and mine alone and I'll ensure Kell doesn't attack you. Sound fair?"
Timara nodded and Sarah withdrew her hand from her neck. Timara shuddered and staggered, the sudden release making her unsteady.
"Come on Kell, we're going home," Roran said, then he turned and started walking.
Grumbling, Kell retrieved her spear, cast a withering glare at Timara, then followed after Roran, leaving a pile of debris and rubble behind her.
(4)
"Where've you been all night?" Kell asked.
"Sanctuary Tasos," said Roran.
"Oh, got distracted having all the servants waiting on you? Enjoy being respectable for a change?"
"No, I spent the evening being pulled into the King's Court, as part of our plan to learn the inner workings of their etchings and how best to deal with the Chosen Champions. We had a whole conversation on it if you're sober enough to remember."
"Jeez, someone is pissy tonight."
"I'm upset because I had to pull you out of a drunken brawl. What were you even thinking?"
"She started it."
"So you wrecked a city a block?"
Kell shrugged. "It happens."
"That's not the kind of attention we need. We've been back for two days, Kell, we were supposed to lay low and relax for a while. Half the reason we left was so that things with Timara would blow over, not so you could reignite them the moment we come back."
"We'll you're just full of lectures tonight."
Roran let out a world weary sigh.
"I'm upset because we have new problems to deal with."
"Oh?"
"Sarah can't explore the King's Sanctuaries. Tasos, Balaki, Vassilis, she isn't able to access any of them. They're heavily protected against lyhlim."
"So you two had to split up?"
"No, she just hid in my shadow while I was there."
"Huh." Kell glanced over at Sarah who was being sullen. "So I guess there are limits to your powers."
"We lyhlim were never powerful," she said. "We aren't supposed to be. We're supposed to help the deceased ease into the ebb and flow, not alter the world of the living."
Kell grunted.
"How did she bait you into fighting?" asked Roran.
"She just got under my skin is all."
"Yes, but how."
"You know how!"
"Talking about your hand?" Roran asked.
"Yes!" Kell snapped, her voice loud enough that it echoed down the street.
Roran didn't so much as flinch.
"Anything else happen tonight?"
"Why do you ask?" Kell said.
"I didn't expect you to be drinking alone."
Kell sighed. "I yelled at Karyn."
Roran stopped and stared at her.
"Don't look at me like that. I...I punched a hole in the wall and got angry."
"Usually that happens the other way around."
"I was having a nightmare, okay? I was back in...back in Uhlara. I couldn't escape. I guess my body mixed up the dreams with reality and the next thing I knew I had knocked out part of the wall. It scared the crap out of Karyn and we got into a fight and I snapped at her."
Roran started walking again.
"You should apologize. She'll forgive you even if you don't, but she'd probably like an apology."
"What am I supposed to say? Sorry I'm a massive bitch that doesn't deserve you?"
"You could start there and figure it out as you go. She'll be by your side regardless. Do you remember the Queen's Hunt?"
"Right after you won your title? I vaguely remember it. I wished for someone that would put up with my bullshit and drinking."
"And you found her."
Kell shrugged. "And Karyn got stuck with me. She wanted someone to protect her until she died, which is stupid. I'm going to die before her."
"You sound sure about that."
"I'm a Champion, and a diminished one at that. There's not much of a future for me."
"My father is maimed," Roran said, "He's missing an eye and an arm, and he can still kick me around like a rag doll."
"No offense, but we don't keep you around for your combat abilities."
"My point being, you can adjust, Kell, you can learn to make up for the missing hand. Nul has even offered to build you a new one."
Kell winced. "It's not the same. It's not part of my body, it doesn't work like a hand should. I mean, it functions more or less the same, but the feel is different."
"You're one of the most adaptable people I know, I'm sure you'll get used to it."
"It's different this time," Kell said, her voice quiet, "I don't think I'm going to be able to adapt to this one."
They walked in silence for a little bit. Kell hadn't been very drunk to begin with and was already sobering up, much to her frustration. Tonight was not a night for sobriety. She wanted to ditch Roran and go in search of another taver, but she doubted he would let her. Even if he did, Sarah would probably keep an eye on her. Letting Timara goad her into a fight had been a mistake and now Kell was being watched like a child.
"Was your father a Champion?" Kell asked.
"I think so. We haven't talked about it but he has the etchings and the skill for it. I think he's recently gone back to working as a mercenary."
"Why?"
Roran shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm guessing it has something to do with me though."
They reached the outside of the apartment building. Kell stared up at it, feeling embarrassed. She couldn't see the hole in the wall from this side but she knew it was there. They'd have to pay to have it fixed, a burden that would fall on all three of them.
Roran led the way into the building and back up to the apartment. There was a noticeable draft as they entered. Kell shut the door quietly behind her and leaned her spear in a corner. As Roran headed for his room, he paused and smiled. Karyn was asleep on the couch.
Next to Karyn were a pair of mugs and a bottle of wine. Karyn was half sitting up and still wearing her night clothes.
"She was waiting for you to come home," Roran said softly.
"That's because she's an idiot," Kell said. She knelt next to Karyn and gently brushed the hair away from her face. Ever since Uhlara, Karyn had kept her hair fairly short and Kell adored the way it framed her face. "If she had any intelligence, she would've left a useless fool like me a long time ago."
"Don't talk bad about my wife," Karyn mumbled, still lost in the world of sleep.
"I'm going to bed," Roran said, "please don't destroy any more buildings tonight."
As Roran and Sarah left, Kell gently scooped Karyn up in her arms. Karyn was slightly taller and more filled out than Kell, but she was still light enough that Kell could easily carry her without the help of her etchings. She carried Karyn back into their room and settled her down in bed. The hole in the wall had been covered with a sheet and the debris had already been swept up.
"Gods I don't deserve you."
Sitting on Kell's little desk was a silver chain and a note written in Nul's handwriting. It said, "This should temporarily disable your etchings."
"Don't deserve you either."
Each link of the chain had been covered in delicate focus markings, many of them identical to the ones covering Kell's body. Kell left the chain on the desk and settled in next to Karyn, curling her body around her. She wasn't going to sleep tonight.